DURHAM, N.C. – Four Duke student-athletes were chosen by the Duke Sports Performance staff as the recipients of the Olympic Sports Performance Student-Athletes of the Year, and four others received Duke’s Live Strong Award for overcoming adversity in their pursuit to return to their sports.

“Each year, the Sports Performance Department recognizes select male and female student-athletes who best represent the standard of excellence in training and competition that we strive to achieve on a daily basis,” said Dan Perlmutter, the head Olympic sports performance coach at Duke. “For their commitment to excellence, dedication to hard work, and consistent desire to improve themselves and their teams, these individuals have been selected as the Duke Olympic Sports Performance Student-Athletes of the Year.”

“The Live Strong Award winners represent the ‘never give up, never say die’ mentality we hope to nurture in all of our student-athletes,” Perlmutter said. “For their tireless efforts in overcoming adversity, their unwavering optimism and enthusiasm for training, and their dedication for returning to athletic excellence on gameday, these student-athletes are worthy of recognition.”

The Duke Olympic Sports Performance Awards are voted on by members of Duke’s Olympic Sports Performance staff.